Production Statistics and Acreage of Pulses in India

India produces more pulses than any other country on earth, yet it still imports millions of tonnes every year to meet domestic demand. That paradox sits at the heart of understanding pulse agriculture in India – a sector that covers tens of millions of hectares, feeds over a billion people as their primary protein source, and yet continues to wrestle with a persistent yield gap that holds back its true potential. A close look at the production statistics and acreage of pulses in India reveals exactly where the country stands, how far it has come, and what challenges still lie ahead.

India’s position in global pulse production 🔗

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), India is the world’s largest producer, consumer, and importer of pulses. The country accounts for roughly 25% of global pulse production and 27% of world consumption, numbers that reflect just how central pulses are to Indian food culture and nutrition. For a largely vegetarian population, dal is not a side dish – it is the primary daily protein source for hundreds of millions of households.

Pulses occupy approximately 20% of the total area under foodgrains in India and contribute around 7-10% of total foodgrain production. That share of cultivated land is significant, but the contribution to nutrition is disproportionately large given that pulses are the backbone of the country’s plant-based protein supply.

Historical acreage and production: the 2001-2003 baseline 🔗

To understand where Indian pulse agriculture is today, it helps to anchor the discussion in a historical baseline. During the period 2001-2003, pulse cultivation in India covered 21.66 million hectares, producing 13.19 million tonnes of pulses with an average yield of 609 kg per hectare. These numbers, drawn from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare data, represent both a foundation and a warning sign.

The warning sign was the yield gap. India’s pulse productivity was significantly below the global average of 790 kg/ha during that period – a gap of roughly 181 kg/ha that translated into millions of tonnes of unrealised production potential each year. While countries like Canada and the United States were achieving yields well above 1,200 kg/ha, Indian farmers operating largely under rainfed conditions were stuck in a low-productivity cycle driven by water stress, limited improved varieties, and inconsistent crop management practices.

Crop-wise breakdown: what India actually grows 🔗

India does not grow a single dominant pulse crop – it cultivates an extensive portfolio of legumes across both the kharif (summer) and rabi (winter) seasons. Rabi pulses contribute more than 60% of total production, with gram (chickpea) leading the way.

Chickpea (gram/chana) 🔗

Gram is the most dominant pulse in India, commanding around 40% of total production. It is predominantly a rabi crop, grown across Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh. Chickpea’s popularity comes from its relatively stable yields under dry conditions, its versatility in Indian cuisine, and its strong market demand both domestically and internationally. Chickpeas recorded production of 13.5 million tonnes in 2022, a figure that has grown steadily over the past decade.

Pigeon pea (tur/arhar) 🔗

Pigeon pea accounts for 15-20% of India’s total pulse production and is particularly important in central and western India. It is a kharif crop that is frequently intercropped with cotton or sorghum, and its importance extends beyond the farm – arhar dal is a kitchen staple consumed daily across most Indian states. Among major pulses, pigeon pea production showed a positive growth rate of 5.5% during the period 2010-2020, reflecting improved variety adoption and targeted government support.

Black gram (urad) and green gram (moong) 🔗

These two kharif pulses each contribute approximately 8-10% of total production. Urd bean recorded the highest production growth rate of 8.66% and moong bean followed closely at 8.09% during 2010-2020, making them two of India’s fastest-growing pulse crops. Both crops are adapted to a wide range of agro-climatic conditions and are being increasingly promoted in rice fallow areas in eastern India to expand the pulse production base.

Lentil (masoor) 🔗

Lentil is primarily a rabi crop grown in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Bihar. While its share of national production is smaller, it holds considerable importance for export markets and for lower-income households where it provides affordable protein. Lentil was the only major pulse that did not show a positive growth trend during 2010-2020, highlighting the need for targeted variety development and agronomic support for this crop.

Major pulse-producing states 🔗

Pulse production in India is geographically concentrated. Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh together contributed 84% of India’s total pulse production in 2021-22. Understanding each state’s role helps explain the regional dynamics of supply and price volatility.

Madhya Pradesh is the undisputed leader. The state contributes nearly 30% of India’s total pulse output, driven by extensive cultivation of gram, tur, and urad across its large semi-arid agricultural zone. Madhya Pradesh alone accounts for 21% of the national pulse area and 25% of production, consistently ranking first across both kharif and rabi seasons.

Rajasthan follows closely, with its large dryland agricultural areas proving well-suited for moong bean and gram cultivation. Rajasthan contributes 20% of total pulse area and 16% of production, with its dominance in mung bean cultivation particularly notable – the state accounts for 46% of India’s moong area.

Maharashtra is a key producer of both tur and gram, contributing 15% to national area and production. Uttar Pradesh contributes significantly to rabi pulses, particularly lentil and gram. Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh round out the top producers, with Karnataka contributing an 11% area share nationally.

The yield gap: then and now 🔗

The yield gap that defined India’s pulse sector in the early 2000s has narrowed substantially but has not closed. From 609 kg/ha in 2001-2003, India’s pulse yield had risen to over 907 kg/ha by fiscal year 2024 – a meaningful improvement. But the challenge of catching up with global benchmarks remains real.

India’s pulse productivity currently stands at 889 kg/ha, which remains well below the global average of 964 kg/ha. The core reasons for this gap have not changed fundamentally since the early 2000s. Pulses in India are largely grown under rainfed conditions, making them highly susceptible to yield instability. Limited irrigation, inconsistent adoption of high-yielding varieties, poor access to quality seed, and inadequate pest management continue to hold productivity below its potential.

Domestic pulse production remains below the country’s consumption needs – India’s annual pulse consumption is approximately 28 million tonnes, while production was below 25.7 million tonnes in 2022-23, forcing continued reliance on imports to bridge the gap.

Production growth over two decades 🔗

Despite the yield gap, India’s absolute pulse production figures tell a positive story. Production grew from 16.3 million tonnes in 2015-16 to 24.5 million tonnes in 2023-24, a significant increase driven by a combination of area expansion and modest yield gains. India cultivated pulses across 29-30 million hectares by 2022-23, producing 26.05 million tonnes – almost double the output of the 2001-2003 baseline from a modestly larger area. This production growth is largely attributable to the National Food Security Mission (NFSM)-Pulses, which has expanded pulse cultivation across 28 states and two union territories by supplying improved seeds, demonstrating better agronomy practices, and supporting farm mechanisation.

A positive growth rate of 2.15% in area, 3.71% in production, and 1.52% in yield was recorded between 2010 and 2020, marking a turnaround from the stagnation that characterised the earlier decades.

Why pulse acreage and productivity matter beyond numbers 🔗

Pulse production statistics are not just agronomic data – they have direct implications for food security, nutrition, and soil health. Pulses contain on average 19-25% protein, with some varieties exceeding 30%, making them the most affordable and accessible protein source for low-income households. Every increase in domestic pulse production directly reduces dependence on expensive imports and improves dietary nutrition for the population.

Beyond nutrition, pulse cultivation brings soil health benefits that amplify the productivity of the entire farming system. Pulses fix atmospheric nitrogen in the soil through their root nodule bacteria, reducing the need for synthetic nitrogen fertilisers and enriching soil for subsequent crops. This nitrogen-fixation capacity improves soil organic matter, reduces input costs, and increases the yield of rotation crops – a benefit that makes pulse cultivation far more valuable to the agricultural system than its direct output alone might suggest.

The per capita availability of pulses in India has also improved in recent years. Net per capita pulse availability rose from 15.5 kg per year in 2018-19 to 19.6 kg in 2021-22, moving closer to the national nutrition target. Yet India’s growing population and rising consumption aspirations mean the pressure on pulse production will only intensify through 2030 and beyond.

Current challenges limiting acreage and yield growth 🔗

Even with the progress made since the early 2000s, several structural constraints continue to limit pulse productivity in India. Rainfall dependence remains the most critical – the vast majority of India’s pulse area receives no irrigation, leaving yields at the mercy of monsoon variability. Seed replacement rates are low in many pulse-growing regions, with farmers still using traditional cultivars that yield significantly less than modern improved varieties. Price risk also plays a role: farmers often prefer rice or wheat where government procurement at Minimum Support Price (MSP) provides income certainty, while pulse price volatility discourages area expansion.

In 2023, India’s pulse acreage declined by 5.4% due to delayed and deficit rains during the sowing season, a reminder of just how vulnerable the sector remains to climate variability. India’s pulse imports reached 2.04 million tonnes of yellow peas alone in FY25 – the highest level since FY18 – illustrating the persistent gap between domestic supply and demand.

Closing this gap will require a sustained push on multiple fronts: expanding irrigation access in pulse-growing zones, accelerating the distribution of high-yielding and climate-resilient varieties, improving post-harvest storage to reduce losses, and ensuring MSP-linked procurement mechanisms give farmers the price assurance they need to invest in pulse cultivation rather than shifting to other crops.

What do you think? Given that India is the world’s largest pulse producer yet still relies heavily on imports, what does that reveal about the relationship between acreage, yield, and food self-sufficiency? And considering the nitrogen-fixing benefits of pulses for soil health, should pulse cultivation receive the same level of irrigation and government procurement support as wheat and rice?

References

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